All posts tagged Fiction

The Straight Road to Kylie by Nico Medina was one of the first books I read about an openly gay character. In it, the main character starts off out of the closet and then goes back in to get something he wants. It’s definitely not “literary” fiction by any means, but when you’re starved for representation, you’re not always so concerned with the quality. All the books that I read when I was first accepting my sexuality still hold a place in my heart even if rereading them now would prove them to be problematic in some way or another. Think of what fictional character’s your protagonist relates to. Write a scene that explores what your protagonist has in common with this relatable character.

I came across these pictures online the other day and got curious. The organization they are advertising SayTrees started in Bangalore as the city began to lose its natural beauty to an influx of corporations. They seem like a pretty cool company. These signs to raise awareness for them are definitely doing their jobs. Write a scene that features a character that would be labeled as a “tree hugger.” Or write a scene set in a world where trees are able to interact with people sentiently.

I’ve been watching Avatar: The Last Airbender again. It is one of the few cartoons that doesn’t feel overly cheesy when I see it again. I’m nearing the end when Aang is about to face the Fire Lord, and he is unwilling to kill someone to save the world. Even though it seems like the only way to protect the world and stop the villain, Aang is unyielding in his refusal to take a life. He is determined to find another way. Write a prompt where your character is convinced there is another way to achieve a goal even though there is an obvious one that might hurt someone.

The Omoshiro Block is probably the coolest designer memo pad I’ve seen in a long while. The creators utilize laser-cutting technology to create these notepads that leave behind a beautiful design as you use them up. As far as I’ve been able to find these nifty notepads are only available in Japan where they are produced, but maybe one day I’ll find one of my very own. For now, draw inspiration from the Omoshiro Block and write a scene where your character finds something artistic on a memo pad.

I’ve been listening to Pharrell Williams’ “Come Get It Bae” all week. I first heard the song in association with an Instagram video from Urban Dance Camp. Koharu Sugawara choreographed a number and featured Yuki Shibuya in it and I’ve watched their video so many times I’ve lost count. Pharrell’s video opens with the words “Beauty has no expiration date” on the screen. It consists diverse women dancing to the song. The song itself isn’t really all that special, but I have a lot of positive associations with how much fun all these lady’s look like they have dancing in these videos. It reminds me that beauty doesn’t have to conform to a standard set by other people. Write a scene that explores many types of beauty.

So after reading Libbie Hawker’s outlining book Take Off Your Pants! I decided to check out John Truby’s The Anatomy of Story. She had recommended it so highly that I had to see what the hype was about. While Libbie Hawker’s book is good for those that just need to get a better handle on plotting their books, John Truby’s book is a more encompassing guide for beginning writers. If you’re not sure where to start with writing full-length novels or films this could be a good place to start getting ideas. There are a lot of examples used to try to help you understand. If you’re not a beginner though you’re probably already familiar with a lot of the stuff that he covers in this book. Write a scene where your character learns something new from familiar examples.

I watched Tangled again this week. As with most Disney movies, the villain is my favorite part. They usually get the best song and their motivations are almost always more interesting than those of the heroes. Mother Gothel’s motivation for keeping Rapunzel hostage is the magic healing power of Rapunzel’s hair. But her means of holding onto Rapunzel in this story are fear mongering and emotional manipulation. Rapunzel is emotionally abused and thinks that she’s being kept safe there. Write a scene of your own that explores these tactics of manipulation.

I came across this really encouraging comic on tumblr this week by Nate Swinehart. It is an issue that most creative people struggle with and I think you’ll appreciate is. Check it out. Write a scene about your character handling self doubt. Do they do it well? They might not every time but make sure they keep trying. And make sure you keep trying too. “The Plan” https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/nateswinehart/the-plan/

Camila Cabello’s “Havana” gets stuck in my head on a regular basis these days. Not only is it a catchy pop song with a hilarious music video but it’s also a great fantasy story idea. The idea that your heart is in another place metaphorically is good writing material no matter your genre though. Write a scene about a character that longs to be somewhere else. Is it somewhere that they’ve been before and now miss? Or is it somewhere they’ve always wanted to travel. For those in the fantasy realm of writing, I’m sure you can come up with all sorts of things to do with taking a character’s heart to another place literally too.

I’ve continued my reading of writerly books with Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down The Bones. This book might feel like a waste of time if you’ve been writing for a while or studied writing a lot already. But if you’re just getting into writing and not sure where to start reading this could be a good start. The two best pieces of advice to take away from this book are to write every day and keep a list of subjects that interest you. More specifically than just write every day, Goldberg recommends a daily timed stream of consciousness/free writing session. She believes it will help clear your mind so you can ready yourself for more directed writing. I think it is worth a try. Maybe test out a couple weeks of free writing every day before trying to write more on your current project. The list of subjects makes a good jumping off points if you’re not sure where to start with a free write. Or use the writing prompts posted by me daily here and on my Tumblr. Inspired by this experiment to free write, try writing a scene where your character switches something up in their daily routine. Is it something as small as a new tooth past or something as drastic as switching from driving to biking to work?